Folding bed construction



July 5, 1966 A. REA

FOLDING BED CONSTRUCTION 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 13, 1962 K O m A E w F L A mm 0 WU QM 0Q BY H/S ATTOEA/EYS HAze/s, K/EcH, Pussau. & KERN July 5, 1966 A. REA

FOLDING BED CONSTRUCTION 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 15, 1962 INVENTOR. A LF/QED IQEA 5y H/S ATTORNEY HARE/5, K/ECH, RUSSELL; & K501 July 5, 1966 A. REA 3,258,786

FOLDING BED CONSTRUCTION Filed Nov. 15, 1962 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. A LFRED REA BY /-//5 ATTORNEYS HARE/5, M50, RUSSELL & KERN I! T, v $12 July 5, 1966 A. REA

FOLDING BED CONSTRUCTION 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed NOV. 13, 1962 INVENTOR ALFRED REA 5y HIS ATTORNEYS HAxzms, K/EcH, R0555 & KER/v July 5, 1966 A. REA

FOLDING BED CONSTRUCTION 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Nov. 13, 1962 INVENTOR. ALFRED REA 5) ATTORNEYS HARE/57 Mac/1, RUSSELL 6: KERN July 5, 1966 A. REA 3,258,786

FOLDING BED CONSTRUCTION Filed Nov. 13, 1962 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 A LFRED REA 5y H/S ATTORNEYS HARE/5, K/EcH, R0555 & KER/v Unite States Patent Of ice 3,258,786 Patented July 5, 1966 3,258,786 FOLDING BED CGNSTRUCTION Alfred Rea, 2230 Charnwood Ave., Los Angeles 38, Calif. Filed Nov. 13, 1962, Ser. No. 236,958 7 Claims. (Cl. 13)

The present invention relates in general to folding beds, including chair beds, sofa beds, bed divans and the like.

The invention is illustrated specifically in connection with a chair bed for convenience. It will be understood that the invention may be readily applied to a sofa bed or a bed divan merely by widening the structure.

A primary object of the invention is to provide a sturdy and compact folding bed structure which is of relatively simple construction and which is easy to operate and which may be incorporated in chairs or other folding beds of various furniture styles.

The invention comtemplates a folding bed frame which includes generally four longitudinally extending sections interconnected by transverse pivot means. The folding bed frame in its unfolded or extended position includes a head section which is nearest the back of a main frame; a foot section which will be located farthest from the back of the main frame; an intermediate section nearest the foot section will be referred to as a forward intermediate section; and an intermediate section nearest the head section will be referred to as a rearward intermediate section.

Another object of the invention is to provide a folding bed structure which will open with a continuous movement to place the head section, the rearward intermediate section, and the forward intermediate section in alignment. Heretofore, it has been conventional practice to provide linkages and latches which with the first movement in the opening of the bed places the foot section in a substantially horizontal position over the aligned head and rearward intermediate sections.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a folding bed structure which may be adjusted to place all the sections of the folding bed frame in alignment with a continuous controlled opening of the bed.

Another object of the invention is to provide a mat-tress hold-down arrangement for preventing movement of the foot section of the folding bed frame upwardly away from the rearward intermediate section thereof when the bed frame is being moved into its retracted position.

Another object of the invention is to provide a mattress hold-down arrangement which applies an increasing force to the mattress during the closing of the bed.

The foregoing objects, advantages, features, and results of the present invention, together with other objects, advantages, features and results thereof which will be apparent to those skilled in the art in light of this disclosure, may be obtained with the exemplary embodiment of the invention described in detail hereinafter and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a preferred form of a chair bed embodying the invention with the various elements of a folding bed frame of the chair bed in their fully retracted positions;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the chair bed of FIG. 1 illustrating the folding bed frame of the chair bed at a partially extended or unfolded position;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the chair bed of FIGS. 1 and 2, showing the folding bed frame being unfolded and having reached the second stage of opening;

FIG. 4 and 4a together constitute a side elevational view of the chair bed of FIGS. 1-3, illustrating the bed in its fully opened position;

FIGS. '5 and 5a together constitute a plan view of the chair bed of the invention taken from the sites of lines 55 and Sa-Sa of FIGS. 4 and 4a respectively;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken along the arrowed line 6-6 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along line 7-7 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary sectional View taken along line 88 of FIG. 1, illustrating the foot trip release of the chair bed of the invention;

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary sectional view from the same line 88 of FIG. 1, illustrating the trip release being activated; and

FIG. 10 is a bottom view taken from the site of line 1010 of FIG. 8.

The folding bed of the invention illustrated in the drawings takes the form of a chair bed 12 fabricated of steel. The chair bed 12 is made up of several general subassemblies, including; a rigid rectangular main frame 14, supported by legs 16; and a folding bed frame 18 which is movable forwardly and rearwardly relative to the main frame 14 between an unfolded extended position as illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 4a and a folded retracted position illustrated in FIG. 1. The bed frame 18 forms a seat structure 19 in its folded or retracted position and carries an upholsterable auxiliary frame 20 at the front of the seat structure.

With reference to FIGS. 1 and 5, it will be seen that the main frame 14 includes side frame members 22 having angle sections, each of which supports a rectangular wooden frame 24 of a removable structure 25 which may be upholstered. Each Wooden frame 24 includes a longitudinal base member 26 of somewhat greater thickness than the side frame member 22 on which it rests and to which it is held. Vertical frame members 28 at each end of the base member 26 support an upper horizontal longitudinal member 30 paralleling the underlying base member 26. The two rectangular frames 24 provide support for upholstered arm members, not illustrated, and are joined together at their respective ends by lateral members 32 to form the structure 25.

A tiltable back section 34 is pivotally held to the rear upper edges of the two rectangular frames 24. The back section 34 in a finished chair will be upholstered and in the tilted position of FIG. 4 provides access to a storage space 39 at the head of the opened bed.

The respective four corners of the main frame 14 of the chair bed 12 have Welded thereto leg supporting plates 27 (as best seen in FIG. 5). Each leg 16 has at its upper end an upwardly reaching threaded stud 29 which extends through aligned holes of one of the supporting plates 27 and of the upholsterable structure 25. A nut 31 engages the upper threaded end of each stud 29, holding the structure 25 and respective leg 16 to the main frame 14.

The respective side frame members 22 of the main frame 14 towards their rearward ends are provided with upright structures 36, each of which comprises a flat, vertical member 38 which is bent inwardly at its upper end to provide a horizontally-extending, short, transverse, supporting member 40 which carries at its inner end an upwardly-turned tab member 42. Each flat, vertical member 38 at its lower end is fixed to one of the side frame members 22 of the main frame 14. Each upright structure 36 has attached thereto a short second member 44 which serves as a brace for the vertical member 38. The second member 44 is preferably riveted or otherwise rigidly fixed to the side frame member 22 to the vertical member 38. The upright structures 36 provide a rigid, pivotal support for the rearward end of the folding bed frame 18.

Referring to FIGS. 1-5 of the drawings, the folding bed frame 18 is seen to be made up of four longitudinally extending sections which are connected by transverse pivot means that provide transverse pivot axes. The four sections comprise a head section 50, so termed because normally one occupying a bed will sleep with his head adjacent to the rear of the chair bed 12, a reap-ward intermediate section 52, a forward intermediate section 54, and a foot section 56. A pivot means connecting the rearward intermediate section 52 to the head section 50 is designated by the numeral 58; the pivot means coupling the rearward intermediate section 52 to the forward intermediate section 54 is designated 60; and the pivot means connecting the foot section 56 to the forward intermediate section 54 is designated 62.

The head section 50 of the folding bed frame 18 includes two side frame members 66, which are preferably angle sections or other structural sections, and which are interconnected at the extreme head end of the bed frame by a transverse or cross frame member 68, also preferably formed of an angle section member and rigidly connected to the side frame members 66 (see FIG. as by welding. The rearward intermediate section 52 of the bed frame 18 includes two side frame members 70 which are preferably angle sections, and which are pivotally connected at their rearward ends to the forward ends of the side frame members 66 by pivots forming part of the pivot means 58. The forward intermediate section 54 is relatively short and includes two side frame members 72 having a generally angle-shaped section, and the foot section 56 similarly includes two side frame members 74, also prefera-bly of angle-shaped cross section. The side frame members 72 of the forward intermediate section are pivotally connected at their rear-ward ends to the forward ends of the side frame members 70 of the rearward intermediate section 52 by pivots forming part of the pivot means 60 and, similarly, the side frame members 74 of the foot section 56 are pivotally connected at their rearward ends to the forward ends of the side frame members 72 by pivots forming part of the pivot means 62.

The side frame members 74 of the foot section 56 of the bed frame 18 are rigidly interconnected at the extreme foot of the bed by a transverse frame member 76, preferable of cylindrical cross section to provide a comfortable grip for a person folding the bed frame. The two side frame members 72 of the forward intermediate section 54 are rigidly connected together at their forward ends by a tubular transverse member 80 riveted or otherwise rigidly fixed to the underside of the two frame members.

As best seen in FIGS. 5 and 5a of the drawings, the several side frame members of the respective sections 50, 52, 54-, and 56 of the folding bed frame 18 are interconnected by a spring and wire assembly 82 which supports a mattress, not shown, when the bed frame 18 is in its extended position. When the bed frame 18 is in its fully retracted, folded condition, the mattress which has been folded within it is encompassed by the various sections of the bed frame. With the bed frame in its folded state, the foot section 56 and the rearward intermediate section 52 are substantially parallel and generally horizontal with the foot section 56 being disposed above the rearward intermediate section and with the mattress doubled therebetween. The forward intermediate section 54 is located at the front of the chair bed 12 under these conditions, i.e., is located at the front of the seat structure provided by the folded bed frame 18, while the head section 50 is disposed generally vertically at the rear of the chair bed 12. When in its retracted state, the forward intermediate section 54 slopes downwardly and rearwardly. This so-called angle fold between the foot section 56 and the forward intermediate section 54 avoids a simple U-fold in the mattress at the forward end of the seat structure provided by the folded frame. With this arrangement, the mattress is doubled on itself with virtually two folds, one in the obtuse angle between the sections 52 and 54, and another in the acute angle between sections 56 and 54. This has the effect of making the upper front edge of the seat structure softer for the greater comfort of the sitters knees, this increased softness being due to the fact that the upper mattress fold, i.e. the one in the acute angle defined by the sections 56 and 54 is located forwardly of the lower mattress fold, i.e. the one in the obtuse angle, thus deriving minimum support for the lower mattress fold. It will also be appreciated that this double fold in the mattress in effect shortens the folded length thereof by reducing the foreand-aft dimension of the seat structure formed by the folded bed frame 18.

The forward intermediate section 54 of the folding bed frame 18 slopes upwardly and forwardly from its pivot connection 60 with the rearward intermediate section 52 to provide the angle fold described above. The auxiliary frame 20 squares off the front of the seat structure to make the front of the seat structure nearly vertical, as is conventional in chair seat structures. The auxiliary frame 20 includes two hanger members 84 held to the respective two side frame members 72 by the pivot means 62 and rivet 86. The hanger members 84 are interconnected by a transverse upholstered member 88 attached thereto.

The seat structure of the retracted folding bed frame 18 is pivotally supported within the main frame 14 by a suspension means including a linkage means or hanger 92 pivotally connected to the main frame and to the head section 50. More exactly speaking, the linkage means 5' 2 comprises a link which at one end is pivotally connected to the upper end of the head section 50 and at its other end to the upturned tab 42 of the flat vertical member 38 of the upright structure 36. The linkage means 2 provides downward and forward movement of the head section from its vertical retracted position to its horizontal extended position. Another portion of the suspension means includes a supporting arm means 94- which is pivotally interlinked with the main frame 14 and to the rearward intermediate section 52 and which is swingable in a fore-and-aft direction through an upright position to guide the bed frame between its retracted and extended positions. A coil tension spring 6 interconnects the supporting arm means 94 and the head section 50. The spring 96 is under its greatest tension with the folding bed in its retracted seat structure position of FIG. 1 and under least tension with the bed in its extended position as illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4. The folding bed in its retracted seat structure position is constrained against movement into its extended position. \Vith elevation of the forward end of the seat structure, either achieved by manual lifting or by use of a foot pedal trip 98 (see FIGS. 8 and 9) the seat structure is freed to enter into its extended position under the influence of the coil tension spring 96.

A special feature of the folding bed of the invention is the continuous opening of the bed under the forward propulsion of the coil tension spring 96 to place the rearward intermediate section 52, the forward intermediate section 54, and head section 50 in alignment as illustrated in FIG. 3. The position of FIG. 3 is commonly described as the second stage of opening in the folding bed industry. Conventionally, a folding bed opens with the first movement of the bed to a first stage wherein the foot section 56 is in a generally horizontal position and only the head and forward intermediate sections are in alignment. There is a decided advantage in having a folding bed which opens continuously into the second stage. It will be appreciated that the foot section positioned as in FIG. 3 may be readily pulled into its fully extended position. In a conventional bed which opens only to the first stage (described above) in its first movement, the user is forced to assume an awkward position in reaching over to grasp the end of the horizontally disposed foot section in order to unfold it through its second stage into its open third stage. Actually, the bed of the invention may be adjusted to open through the second stage of FIG. 3 in a continuous movement into the fully open third stage of FIGS. 4 and 4a. In a bed of the invention, the foot section 56 is neutral in the second stage of FIG. 3 and will under the force of some mattresses open automatically into its fully extended position of FIGS. 4 and 40. It will be appreciated that this will depend upon the particular mattress used. It is also possible by employing a somewhat stronger coil tension spring 96 to cause the bed to open continuously into its third stage of FIGS. 4 and 4a.

The linkage system providing for continuous opening of the bed into its second stage includes a linkage plate 102 pivotally held to a central portion of the rearward intermediate section 52. There is provided an elongated link 104 which is pivotally held at its opposite ends to the linkage plate 102 and to a central portion of the head section 50. A crank means 106 is pivotally held to the rearward intermediate section at the pivot 60 or adjacent thereto as illustrated. The crank means includes a first leg member 108 which in its retracted position is in close proximity to the underside of the rearward intermediate section 52 and a second leg member 110 disposed at an angle to the first leg member and interlinked through an elongated link 112 to the aforementioned linkage plate 102 so that the first leg member 108 in response to move ment of the linkage plate 102 and the elongated link 104 moves away from the rearward intermediate section 52 and eventually into engagement with the surface on which the folding bed rests. There is provided a linkage 114 connecting the forward intermediate section 54 to the rearward intermediate section 52 which serves to move the two sections into alignment. The latter linkage 114 is activated by movement of the first leg member 108 away from the underside of the rearward intermediate section 52.

In the particular embodiment of the folding bed illustrated in the drawings, there is provided an elongated slot 116 in the rearward intermediate section 52, see FIGS. 2 and 3, in which slot there is located a pin 118 that is movable lengthwise thereof. A brace linkage 120 is pivotally connected at its opposite ends to the first leg member 108 of the crank means 106 and to the pin 118 in the slot 116. The aforementioned linkage 114 connecting the rearward and forward intermediate sections 52 and 54 is connected at one end to the pin 118 and hence is movable with that pin when it is activated by the brace linkage 120. The other end of the linkage 114 in the particular embodiment illustrated is pivotally held to the pivot means 62 which couples together the foot section 56 and the forward intermediate section 54. The linkage member 114 could be pivotally held to the forward intermediate section 54 away from the pivot means 62. It will thus be seen there is a continuous opening of the rearward intermediate, forward intermediate, and head sections into alignment under the forward propulsion of the coil tension spring 96. In a conventional structure, the retracted bed would open in a particular sequence, there being provided latches and linkages which would restrain the opening of a subsequent section until there had been achieved alignment of preceeding sections.

As best seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, the supporting arm means 94, the elongated link 104 and linkage 112 are all held to an upper portion of the linkage plate 102 about a common pivot 122. In the particular embodiment of the folding bed illustrated in the drawings, there is provided a second linkage plate 124 which is pivotally held by a pivot means 125 to the head section 50. The coil tension spring 96 interconnecting the supporting arm means 94 and the head section 50 is connected at its head section end to the second linkage plate 124. A first link 128 is pivotally held at its opposite ends to the second linkage plate 124 and to the linkage means 92 connecting the main frame 14 and the head section 50. A second link 130 is pivotally held at its opposite ends to the second linkage plate 124 and to the elongated link 104 which, as described before, connects the linkage plate 102 and the head section 50.

The supporting arm means 94 at the opposite sides of the folding bed frame 14 are connected by a tubular stabilizing rod 134 spaced between extensions 136 of the respective supporting arm means. In the retracted position of the folding bed frame, see FIG. 1, the tubular stabilizing rod is positioned ahead of and immediately adjacent to the upright forward intermediate section 54. It will be seen that the supporting arm means 94 has afixed to it, preferably by welding, a lateral, short arm 138 to which the aforementioned coil tension spring 96 is held.

The pin 118 is fastened to one end of a link member 140 which is disposed along the innerface of the side frame member 70 of the rearward intermediate section 52, see FIGS. 2 and 6. The link member 140 at its other end carries an outwardly projecting pin member 142 which extends through a slot 144 in the side frame member 70. This second slot 144 is spaced from the aforementioned slot 116 towards the rearward end of the side frame members 70. The pin member 142 is movable along the length of the slot 144 and responds to movement of the link member 140.

During horizontal alignment of the head section 50 and the rearward intermediate section 52 there occurs, as seen best in FIGS. 1 and 3, movement of the rearward intermediate section 52 from its retracted position within the main frame 14 to an elevation somewhat above the main frame. The supporting of the head section 50 by the linkage means 92 from the vertical members 38 of the upright structure 36 permits movement of the vertically disposed head section into horizontal position some distance removed from its initial retracted position. It will be seen that the head section 50, because of the linkage, moves away from the rear of the chair bed, making the full length of the head section 50 available for use as a portion of the bed. In the opening of the bed, there is a general moving of the whole folding bed frame structure 18 in a forward direction. The supporting arm means 94 swings upwardly and forwardly through a vertical position into the supporting position illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4.

With the opening of the bed, there is a relatively rearward movement of several components of the linkage arrangement. Linkage plate 102 which is pivotally connected to the side frame member 70 is pulled in a rearwardly direction by the elongated link 104, which is pivotally held at its rear end to the side frame member 66 of the head section 50. This relatively rearward movement of the linkage plate 102 actuates the crank means 106 and causes its second leg to move rearwardly in response to movement of the linkage 112 connected to the linkage plate 102. The rearward movement of the second leg member 110 of the crank means 106 results in the downward and forward movement of the longer first leg member 108 away from the rearward intermediate section 52 and eventually into engagement with the floor on which the chair bed rests, as best seen in FIG. 3. The downward and forward movement of the first leg member 108 actuates the linking brace and in turn moves the pin 118 lengthwise of the slot 116, causing the linkage 114 to move the forward intermediate section 54 into alignment with the rearward intermediate section 52.

The first leg member 108 of the crank means 106 in its extended position as illustrated in FIG. 3 provides support for the pivot connection 60 of the two intermediate sections 52 and 54, thus providing support for these two sections to hold them in horizontal alignment. There is no similar leg support for the pivot means 58 connecting the head section 50 to the rearward intermediate section 52 when these two sections are in horizontal alignment. Another means is provided for locking the two latter sections together in order that they will be able to support a load without breaking when the bed is in use.

With reference to FIGS. 3 and 6, it will be seen that the pin member 142 disposed in the slot 144 of the side frame member 70 engages an edge of the linkage plate 102. The linkage plate 102 in the position illustrated in these two figures has a rearwardly extending projection 148 whose upper edge 148a serves as a cam surface for engaging the pin member 142. The projection 148 may be viewed as providing one side of a slot into which the pin member 142 is moved in and out of engagement by the link 140. It will be appreciated that the pin 142, being at the rearward end of the link 140, is pulled in a forwardly direction along the length of the slot 144 when the link 140 is actuated through movement of the first pin 118 which is actuated in the manner described above. With the movement of the pin 142 into the slot defined by the projection 148 of the linkage plate 102, the elongated link 104, as best seen in FIG. 3 is pulled down into a parallel relationship with the aligned head and rearward intermediate sections. The elongated link 104 in this relationship bridges the pivot 58 of the two aligned members, providing a stable structure.

The crank means 166 which incorporates the first leg member 168 could be connected to the structure at the pivot 60 connecting the two intermediate sections 52 and 54; however, in the embodiment illustrated the crank means is pivotally held to an upturned flange 152 of a plate 154 which is fixed to the rearward intermediate section 52 immediately adjoining the pivot connection 60, as best seen in FIG. 6. The use of the plate 154 places the pivot of the crank means 106 away from the side frame member 71 of the rearward intermediate section 52, providing space for the linkage 114 exteriorly of the main frame but still providing a compact structure. A tubular cross bar 158 joins together the two first leg members 168 of the respective crank means 166 at the opposite sides of the folding bed frame 18.

Another especially desirable feature of the folding bed of the invention is the arrangement provided for movably locking the foot section 56 to the forward intermediate section 54 during the closing of the bed. With this arrangement there is a continual squeezing or compressing of the mattress with the movement of the bed into its seat structure. The linkage 114 is provided with a locking roller 159 centrally of its length and on its inside face. An elongated curved link 160 is pivotally held at one of its ends to the side frame member 74 of the foot section 56. The other end of the curved link 160 is movably and pivotally held by a pin 162 in an elongated slot in the side frame member 72 of the forward intermediate section 54. With the movement of the bed towards its retracted position, the locking roller 159 engages the inner surface of the curved link 160 and with further movement of the link 114 into its retracted position, the locking roller 159 moves along the inside surface of the curved link applying to the curved link a closing force which is transmitted to the foot section 56. The foot section 56 in the closing of the bed is locked early against relative movement away from the rearward intermediate section. With the linkage arrangement of the invention there is applied a continuous squeezing action to the mattress during movement of the bed into its box or seat structure position. This squeezing or compression action greatly facilitates the closing of the folding bed by the user.

An elongated link 176 connects to a'central portion of the curved link 160 and at its other end is pivotally coupled to an extension 172 of a leg 174 that is pivotally fastened to an outer portion of the side frame member '74 of the foot section 56. With movement of the curved link 16% into its fully extended position of FIG. 4a, the leg 174 is caused to move away from the foot section 56 into engagement with the floor.

Although an exemplary embodiment of the invention has been disclosed herein for purposes of illustration, it will be understood that various changes, modifications, and substitutions may be incorporated in such embodiment without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined by the claims which follow.

I claim:

1. In a folding bed having a main frame and a folding bed frame movable relative to the main frame between retracted and extended positions and forming a seat structure in its retracted position which seat structure is suspended within the main frame and including pivotally interconnected foot, forward intermediate, and rearward intermediate sections, said foot section in the retracted position being disposed above said rearward intermediate section and said forward intermediate section being disposed in a relatively upright position at the front of the seat structure, the improvement comprising: a linkage connecting the forward intermediate section to the rearward intermediate section for moving the two sections into alignment, said linkage supporting a locking roller intermediate of its link; a second linkage connecting the foot section to the forward intermediate section, said second linkage being pivotally held at one of its ends to the one of the two connected sections and the other end of said second linkage being pivotally and movably held to the other one of the two connected sections, said locking roller being, with the folding bed in its retracted position, in engagement with the second linkage and serving to restrain movement of said second linkage at its movable end and said locking roller with the two sections in alignment being out of engagement with said second linkage so as not to interfere with the movement of said second linkage at its movable end.

2. In a folding bed having a main frame and a folding bed frame movable relative to the main frame between retracted and extended positions and forming a seat structure in its retracted position which seat structure is suspended within the main frame and including pivotally interconnected foot, forward intermediate, rearward intermediate, and head sections, said foot section in the retracted position being disposed above said rearward intermediate section and said forward intermediate section being disposed in a relatively upright position at the front of the seat structure with said head section being disposed in a generally vertical position at the rear of said seat structure, the improvement comprising:

a suspension means pivotally supporting the seat structure within the main frame and including a linkage means pivotally connected to the main frame and to the head section, said linkage means providing downward and forward movement of the head section from its vertical retracted position to its horizontal extended position, and a supporting arm means pivotally interlinked to the main frame and to the rearward intermediate section and swingable in foreand-aft direction through an upright position to guide said bed frame between its retracted and extended positions;

a coil tension spring interconnecting the supporting arm means and the head section, said spring being under its greatest tension with the folding bed in its retracted seat structure position and under least tension with the bed in its extended position,

said folding bed in its retracted seat structure position being constrained against movement into its extended position and with elevation of the forward end of the seat structure being free to enter into its extended position under the influence of said coil tension spring; and

a linkage system providing for the continuous opening of the bed under the forward propulsion of said spring to place the rearward intermediate, forward intermediate and head sections in alignment, and including a linkage plate pivotally held to the rearward intermediate section, an elongated link pivotally held at its opposite ends to the linkage plate and to the head section, a crank means pivotally held to the rearward intermediate section and having a first leg member which in its retracted position is in close proximity to the underside of the rearward intermediate section and a second leg member disposed at an angle to said first leg member and interlinked to the linkage plate so that the first leg member in response to movement of said linkage plate and said elongated link moves away from the rearward intermediate section and eventually into engagement with the surface on which said folding bed rests, and a linkage connecting the forward intermediate section to the rearward intermediate section for moving the two sections into alignment, said latter linkage being activated by movement of the first leg member away from the underside of the rearward intermediate section.

3. In a folding bed having a main frame and a fold ing bed frame movable relative to the main frame between retracted and extended positions and forming a seat structure in its retracted position which seat structure is suspended within the main frame and including pivotally interconnected foot, forward intermediate, rearward intermediate, and head sections, said foot section in the retracted position being disposed above said rearward intermediate section and said forward intermediate section being disposed in arelatively upright position at the front of the seat structure with said head section being disposed in a generally vertical position at the rear of said seat structure, the improvement comprising:

a suspension means pivotally supporting the seat structure within the main frame and including a linkage means pivotally connected to the main frame and to the head section, said linkage means providing downward and forward movement of the head section from its vertical retracted position to its horizontal extended position, and a supporting arm means pivotally interlinked to the main frame and to the rearward intermediate section and swingable in foreand-aft direction through an upright position to guide said bed frame between its retracted and extended positions;

a coil tension spring interconnecting the supporting arm means and the head section, said spring being under its greatest tension with the folding bed in its retracted seat structure position and under least tension with the bed in its extended position,

said folding bed in its retracted seat structure position being constrained against movement into its extended position and with elevation of the forward end of the seat structure being free to enter into its extended position under the influence of said coil tension spring;

a linkage system providing for the continuous opening of the bed under the forward propulsion of said spring to place the rearward intermediate, forward intermediate and head sections in alignment; and

a foot pedal means located beneath the folded seat structure and adapted to elevate the forward end of said structure with the depression of the pedal by a human foot.

4. The folding bed in accordance with claim 2 wherein the supporting arm means at its upper end is pivotally connected to said linkage plate.

5. A folding bed in accordance with claim 2 including a second linkage plate pivotally held to the head section, said coil tension spring being connected at its head section end to the second linkage plate; a first link pivotally held at its opposite ends to the second linkage plate and to the linkage means connecting the main frame and the head section; and a second link pivotally held at its opposite ends to the second linkage plate and to the elongated link connecting the first linkage plate and the head section. A

6. A folding bed in accordance with claim 2 wherein there is provided an elongated slot in the rearward intermediate section, a pin disposed within said slot and movable lengthwise thereof, and a linking brace pivotally connected at its opposite ends to the first leg member of the crank means and to said pin, with the linkage connecting the forward intermediate and rearward sections being connected at one end to said pin and movable therewith.

7. A folding bed in accordance with claim 2 wherein there is provided a linkage member connecting the forward intermediate section and the foot section, said linkage member being pivotally held at one end to one of the sections and at its other end being pivotally and movably held to the other section, said linkage connecting the forward intermediate section to the rearward intermediate section supporting a locking roller which in the opening and closing of the bed engages a surface of the linkage joining the rearward intermediate and the forward intermediate sections, said locking roller arrangement providing a closing force to the foot section during movement of the folding bed into its retracted position.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,445,241 7/ 1948 Pekorny et al 534 X 2,624,888 1/1953 Bebry 5-28 X 2,634,427 4/ 1953 Wodarsky 531 X 2,634,428 4/1953 Fox 531 X 2,745,113 5/ 1956 Coopersmith 5-31 2,840,830 7/1958 Pokorny et al 531 X FOREIGN PATENTS 491,581 3/1953 Canada.

571,521 8/1945 Great Britain.

640,358 4/1962 Canada.

FRANK B. SHERRY, Primary Examiner. 

1. IN A FOLDING BED HAVING A MAIN FRAME AND A FOLDING BED FRAME MOVABLE RELATIVE TO THE MAIN FRAME BETWEEN RETRACTED AND EXTENDED POSITIONS AND FORMING A SEAT STRUCTURE IN ITS RETRACTED POSITION WHICH SEAT STRUCTURE IS SUSPENDED WITHIN THE MAIN FRAME AND INCLUDING PIVOTALLY INTERCONNECTED FOOT, FORWARD INTERMEDIATE, AND REARWARD INTERMEDIATE SECTIONS, SAID FOOT SECTION IN THE RETRACTED POSITION BEING DISPOSED ABOVE SAID REARWARD INTERMEDIATE SECTION AND SAID FORWARD INTERMEDIATE SECTION BEING DISPOSED IN A RELATIVELY UPRIGHT POSITION AT THE FRONT OF THE SEAT STRUCTURE, THE IMPROVEMENT COMPRISING: A LINKAGE CONNECTING THE FORWARD INTERMEDIATE SECTION TO THE REARWARD INTERMEDIATE SECTION FOR MOVING THE TWO SECTIONS INTO ALIGNMENT, SAID LINKAGE SUPPORTING A LOCKING ROLLER INTERMEDIATE OF ITS LINK; A SECOND LINKAGE CONNECTING THE FOOT SECTION TO THE FORWARD INTERMEDIATE SECTION, SAID SECOND LINKAGE BEING PIVOTALLY HELD AT ONE OF ITS ENDS TO THE ONE OF THE TWO CONNECTED SECTIONS AND THE OTHER END OF SAID SECOND LINKAGE BEING PIVOTALLY AND MOVABLY HELD TO THE OTHER ONE OF THE TWO CONNECTED SECTIONS, SAID LOCKING ROLLER BEING, WITH THE FOLDING BED IN ITS RETRACTED POSITION, IN ENGAGEMENT WITH THE SECOND LINKAGE AND SERVING TO RESTRAIN MOVEMENT OF SAID SECOND LINKAGE AT ITS MOVABLE END AND SAID LOCKING ROLLER WITH THE TWO SECTIONS IN ALIGNMENT BEING OUT OF ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID SECOND LINKAGE SO AS NOT TO INTERFERE WITH THE MOVEMENT OF SAID SECOND LINKAGE AT ITS MOVABLE END. 